7-28-22 “Happy People & a Fun Time”
After several immaculate days of calm seas, things boiled a bit on the water, as a rising breeze sent a lump through the bay: calm at first, though enough to cancel our 5pm tour (and making for a rocky afternoon. Otherwise, our passengers handled it well enough that I was very impressed with their fortitude and enthusiasm. Whales? Of course! Some ten humpbacks here and there along the Monterey Submarine Canyon, and even a Minke whale was sighted briefly on the morning tour. Nothing out of the ordinary, but nothing bad! Happy people and a fun time for the crew. Gotta love your job! -Naturalist Isaiah
7-21-22 “The Grand Chemistry of Life”
Three stellar trips bled into one another, each producing about 6 to 8 humpback whales each, each with dozens of sea lions and hundreds of birds, all swarming what must have been a formidable school of anchovies the entire day. In the end, the humpbacks alone would account for some 360,000 anchovies lost to the grand chemistry of life at sea. Our third trip witnessed numerous lunge feeds at the surface, and sky high tail flukes before calling this long day for exactly what is was: a day. -Naturalist Isaiah
7/16/22 “Holy Flying Humpbacks!”
Holy flying humpbacks! Today was a grand slam, three trip day of high flying humpback whales, with one “little” baby whale at the center of it all. Three trips in a row, and we found the same pair of humpbacks: a cow and her calf. Three trips in a row, and that calf put on a fantastic display of acrobatic prowess. Interspersed with cool science facts and basic ecology, our passengers all walked away not only inspired, but with a deeper appreciation and an understanding of this amazing bay we call home. -Naturalist Isaiah
7/15/22 “A Fine Day!”
Another one and done day, as rough seas loomed on the horizon, Captain Danny led us northwest, into intermittent fog which cleared up nicely, and just in time to find a handful of humpback whales, and a small group of Risso’s Dolphin who exhibited several breaches. Nothing crazy, but nothing bad! A fine day on the water! -Naturalist Isaiah
7/14/22 “Flipped, Flapped, & Massive Breaches”
Light overcast and mild seas set an ethereal tone over today’s trip, as Captain Danny led us out into the bay. Two humpbacks were sighted early on, though they were rather erratic and hard to watch. Hence, we abandoned them and quickly found a playful humpback, who flipped and flapped his tail and pecs, and even gave us two MASSIVE breaches! After it calmed down, we ventured north and acquired a large pod of Risso’s Dolphin, interspersed with a handful of Pacific White Sided Dolphin. Just as a giant, blue hole ripped open the clouds, the wind picked up and sent us home in the most timely fashion imaginable, and along the way several sea shanties received uproarous applause. With canceling our afternoon trips, today was a nice one-and-done day. -Naturalist Isaiah
6/18/22 “Humpback Whales to Various Species of Dolphin”
Humpbacks and wind continue to dominate our coasts these last few months. Since March, we have been forced to cancel at least HALF of all our trips on account of rough seas (generated by wind). What trips we send do indeed prove bountiful in terms of sightings, though seasickness has been an apparition that haunts the occasional passenger or two. Yesterday, we received a fantastic break in the weather, with calm seas, clear skies, and incredible sightings from Humpback Whales, to various species of Dolphin (Risso’s, White Sides, and Northern Right Whale Dolphin). Through in the occasional lunge feed amongst plunge diving pelicans, and you have yourself a happy crew with happy passengers to boot. This morning’s trip continued the trend: swapping lunge feeds for a few breaches on a near-immaculate sea. Just as we turned for Monterey, that old…
6/12/22 “Anchovies Run from Lunge Feeding Whales”
Fickle and wild, embittered for months, The Sea, she returns all her debts all at once. Grey for a day, or two it may seem, The water, it glows now with opals that gleam. Dolphins and birds, leviathan tails, Anchovies run from lunge feeding whales. Though soon we may yield to oncoming fronts, Fear Not, The Sea pays all her debts all at once. -Naturalist Isaiah
6/11/22 “One of Rarest Creatures to Visit North America!”
As Monterey swells with wildlife, it also swells with swells themselves. Yesterday, three trips were sent out into rolling and rocking seas. Blue whales, pacific white sided dolphin, northern right whale dolphin, risso’s dolphin, AND humpback whales made various appearances throughout the day. Barring from a few upset stomachs, all were incredible trips. Not only cetaceans: “Nubs,” the Short Tailed Albatross(!) made an appearance! One of only four thousand left in the wild, the species – once over 5 Million strong – is among the rarest of creatures to visit North America. Reported to be a female, she is easily identified by her missing-left-foot. That was Friday. TODAY was very similar (minus the PWSD and NRWD and Blue Whales). Rocky seas turned up the volume a notch or two, but so too did the whales. With the occasional breach, consistent…
6/7/22 “…Deliver an Amazing Experience Today”
Whale watching can be overwhelming, in both wonderfully positive and sometimes in more mixed ways. For many of our passengers it is their first time on the ocean, or even their first time on a boat at all. Simple things like walking around are can be a challenge. As we left Monterey harbor this morning, I looked around at the faces of our passengers and couldn’t quite tell if they were excited or engaged or not. I put the mic down and I did my usual rounds, asking each group if they had questions for me and making polite conversation, and then came our first whales. We had a mother Humpback Whale and her calf napping to start off our sightings. The pair spent a lot of time at the surface and we got tall, graceful fluke up dives from…
6/2/22 Humpbacks and Risso’s
June 2nd (Vessel Pacifica): Captain Danny Frank so graciously steered us northwest into a beautiful morning of partly cloudy skies (the best for photography) and mild seas. As dozens of humpback whales continued to feed just a mile or two north of the harbor, it did not take long to sight a pair of Humpback Whales. Cow and calf, mother and baby, the pair were taking a morning snooze (though never are they truly unconscious) so we left them in peace and immediately were rewarded with a handful of Risso’s Dolphin. Pressing on, some 15 or 20 whales appeared, scattered in all directions, so we bounced between groups, occasionally watching tail throws and flipper-slaps. Some stinky whale breath here and there, it was a truly solid trip. At one point, we sighted and watched another group of Rissos, and bounced…